


Dreamscapes

by LadyOfSlytherin101, MsNita



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Dracula - Bram Stoker, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Real World, Bonding, Crossover, Dreams and Nightmares, Dreams vs. Reality, Fairy Tale Curses, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Guardian-Ward Relationship, Lucid Dreaming, Male-Female Friendship, Marvel Universe, Orphans, Out of Character, Prophecy, hints of multi-crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 04:58:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3120071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOfSlytherin101/pseuds/LadyOfSlytherin101, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsNita/pseuds/MsNita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>By chance, Dracula, Lord of the Vampires, meets a little orphan by the name of Gwendolyn. Seeing something special in the other, they decide to continue to meet each other in the realm of dreams. As time passes, he watches her grow and helps her through certain challenges that come from growing up.<br/>This version is constantly going to be updated and edited compared to my version on Fanfiction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gwendolyn's First Meeting with the Vampire King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwen meets the Lord of Vampires for the first time.

“Hel-hello?”

Gwen looked one way then another hugging herself tight. She was really wishing that her Zen bear was there with her. This new place was strange to her. It had no light, but somehow she could see, which she hated since all she could see were mists. She had never seen a place like this before except for in scary movies, and being there all by herself made it a little more unnerving. She was seven years old, for Pete’s sake, she didn’t belong in a place like this. Wasn’t this the kind of place little kids got eaten?

She wondered if she would be able to ask her benefactor about this place if she got back home; if he’d even tell her. She had only recently learned about him from her social worker, Miss Kari. He was always nice when they talked, but he still spoke to her in a way that it felt more like he was doing it out of obligation rather than him actually wanting to. She’d have been willing to deal with that if it meant that she got to go home.

She flinched glancing over her shoulder. This strange place was bad enough when she thought she was alone, but now it terrified her as she could feel someone staring at her. She didn’t see anyone, but she knew, she knew that she wasn’t going crazy as she turned and walked backwards. She grunted when she walked into something solid and froze when it jolted back a bit. Slowly, she turned looking up to see a man towering over her in strange clothing. When she looked into his eyes, she froze in absolute terror to see them gleaming red. Remembering what she had read, she averted her eyes to his lips. She flinched when they smirked at her, revealing sharp, pointy fangs while she stared at him like a deer in the headlights.

“What is a young girl like you doing here?” he asked.

Panicking, she turned and walked away from him. He stood there a bit gob smacked by the sheer audacity before he stood akimbo with a grunt. It amused him to watch her little feet move as he followed after her. In a few steps, he caught up with her and gripped the collar of her oversized shirt. She stopped, turned, and gripped his hand in both of her tiny ones.

“Now, I’m sure that you have been taught that that was rude,” he commented, “Unless you want me to discipline you, don’t do it again.”

“Where am I?” she replied when he released her.

He looked to his side with a sweeping gesture, he said, “This is the place where dreams are formed, the in-between, if you will?”

“So, if I wanted Zen bear?” she inquired, looking down to see her Zen bear in hand.

He cocked an eyebrow at her as if to mock the stuffed panda wearing striped boxers. She pulled it away from his grasp and glared at him despondently. He snorted, amused by the pout upon her face as well as the barely contained courage she still managed to possess within her. He crouched down to her level to even the playing field a bit, even though she didn’t stand a chance against him.

“Not many children land in this place, their minds are too active, too chaotic,” he stated. “So, what could you be thinking about to bring you here?”

“My mother,” she said morosely. She wanted to turn and walk away again, but Mr. G had always warned her to never turn her back on a predator. She also remembered Miss Kari telling her that it was rude not answering a question that she was asked. Plus, she didn’t want to risk him disciplining her as she had a strong feeling that with his gloves it would hurt something fierce.

“What about her?” he questioned, standing and ready to move on from yet another typical, simpering child’s selfishness.

“I was wondering about what she looked like,” she mumbled, much to his surprise.

“Why not ask your father?” he retorted.

“I don’t have a father,” she responded with surprising ease, which made him pause.

“Everyone has a father,” he pointed out.

“Then he never met me or knows I exist,” she returned.

He had met many orphans in his time and most of them he paid no mind, but even an orphan’s mind didn’t dwell within this realm long enough to linger and definitely not to the extent she had. He then began to wonder what was it that made her so unique that she would linger here. She looked up at him with sad, big, blue eyes. With soft sigh, which felt out of character even to him, he knelt down, wrapped his arms around her and held her as she stiffened against him. He could feel her pulse quickening in confusion as she stayed frozen. It was then that he could tell that she was one of the unlucky ones; how unlucky, he was actually unwilling to ask. Considering there were orphans out there that he could probably sympathize with, but he hadn’t the time to be sympathizing with such creatures. Carefully, he let her go and allowed her to back up to a comfortable distance.

"I would be happy to meet you here in the world of dreams so that you are not alone if you like," he offered, knowing that something was special about her.

She tilted her head as she looked at him incredulously, and asked, "Who are you?"

When he opened his mouth to respond, it only took a split second to realize if he had told her the name by which he was feared that she would shut down. Not wanting to scare her off, he wouldn't risk telling her. However, he could sense some righteousness in this small girl and knew that lying would work against him, too. So in that split second, he smiled and answered, "Vlad, and what of your name?"

She looked at him, guard up as she thought it before she muttered, "Hannah."

He picked her up and looked at her with a smile, "Hannah… that is a lovely name." After stiffening again for just a second, she reclined against him sleepily, and he seemed to know the reason why as he said, "I shall be seeing you again, my dear Hannah."

Wrapping an arm around his neck, which surprised him. “Promise, Mr. Boogeyman?” She yawned, pulling a chuckle from him.

“I promise,” he admitted as she faded from his grasp.

She rolled over, looking at Miss Kari, who was shaking her shoulder. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Glancing around to see the orphanage, she realized that Vlad was telling the truth about where they were. She hugged Zen bear as she thought about that and remembered that he said that he'd see her again.

 She was pulled from her thoughts as Miss Kari started lifting her up out of bed, teasing, “Get out of bed you lazy critter. Your benefactor wants to speak with you; mustn't keep him waiting."

Gwen immediately jumped out of bed and ran to the phone that they always talked on as Miss Kari ran behind, yelling to wait and get dressed. Gwen didn't even wait as she sat down, grabbed the phone, and put it to her ear. She set Zen bear in the chair beside her as she greeted her benefactor.

"Hi Mr. G," she stated.

"Hello Gwen," his Scottish accent coming through softly, "being lazy again today, are we?"

"It's not my fault you're a morning person," she whined in defense, pulling a chuckle from him.

"Yes, well, the early bird does get the worm," he replied.

"Yes, but the lazy bird misses the hawk's breakfast bell," she countered as she watched Miss Kari smacked her own forehead.

"Is that so?" He chuckled. She nodded before she gnawed on her bottom lip, deep in thought. "Gwennie, what's on your mind?"

 _He had never asked that before_ , she thought as she inhaled before taking the plunge. "Mr. G, what is the place that dreamers go before their dreams take shape? What is the 'in-between?'"

“Now Gwennie dear, who told you about that?”

 


	2. Our Next Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwen and Vlad both meet some furry characters in a rather unlikely place.

Gwen sat on a bench, swinging her feet this way and that while staring at the wall opposite of her. It intrigued her greatly from the cascading waters right down to the mirrors they cascaded over. It was very rare when she’d see a mirrored waterfall instead of one made of copper or some other material, especially inside a mall. The mall itself was abandoned at the moment, but that didn’t bother her as she giggled at her distorted reflection. She turned when she saw a dark mist heading her way in curiosity as well as alarm.

“You are a rather difficult girl to find, Hannah,” Vlad teased, stepping out from the mists toward her. “What has it been now? Two months?”

He looked at her, noticing a slightly baffled look on her face at his remark. He grew confused when she turned to the mirrors and then to him and back. When he considered the direction she was looking in, he gulped, knowing that his cover had been blown if she hadn’t of guessed what he was before. Much to his surprise though, she got from her seat, made her way over to him, and tugged on his hand making him stand in front of her as she giggled at her reflection. He had thought she would be running in fear, or waking from her dream at least.

“I always wondered if I could see my reflection through a vampire,” she giggled to herself.

“Well, it looks like my cover has indeed been blown,” he joked back. He turned to face her. “Why aren’t you afraid, though?”

“Because Mr. G says that if you had wanted to eat me then you would have,” she stated.

“Mr. G?” he implored.

“He’s my benefactor, he said that mommy made him promise to take care of me after she had me,” she explained. “He lives far away and says that I’m safer away from him than I would be with him. So, he tends to my needs in other ways.”

“What other ways?” he asked. _Maybe I jumped the gun on her… She’s just a living Annie._

“Well, he pays for my dance lessons, and recently, my voice lessons,” Gwen mumbled, twiddling her fingers.

“Anything else?” Vlad almost growled, crossing his arms.

Gwen pouted as she snapped, “It’s not like I’m spoiled. I got my Zen bear from a mom and pa shop. He was five dollars that I earned myself! It was Miss Leena’s idea that I take dance lessons, and Mr. Renaldo heard me sing and offered me voice lessons. I told Mr. G that if the rest of the kids at the orphanage don’t get Christmas presents than neither do I. Honestly, you act like I’m spoiled rotten like Miss Kari says Lorelei is.”

He stared at her in surprise as she crossed her arms and glared right back at him. So, he had jumped the gun, but not in the way that he initially had thought. Orphans did receive more privileges now in her time than when he was a lad, and that was something that he needed to remember. A benefactor was almost unheard of, though, it would make more sense if he was her father. Catching on, she exclaimed, “Mr. G is not my daddy! He said that he and mommy were only friends, and that his heart belongs elsewhere! The man who’s supposed to be my daddy was some stranger mommy met one night, or at least, that’s what Mr. G tells me.”

“Is that so?” He replied as she nodded with fierce gusto. _So she’s a bastard child then_ , he thought, uncrossing his arms. He chuckled; she was adorable when she puffed out her cheeks. “Alright then, I offer my apologies, Hannah.”

Soon there was murmuring echoing through the mall, alarming them to the fact that they were not alone anymore. Vlad watched in surprise when Gwen hopped down and ran in that direction. He was quick to follow her as they made their way further into the mall. He was curious as he heard people, but nobody was around. He looked down when Gwen grasped his hand and looked around before looking up at him. His head turned to look in the same direction she was when he saw her head jerk.

He was surprised to say the least at the creature before them. Was it some demon? It certainly wasn’t a creature he had seen before. It stood there with its back arched and its hackles rose as a hyena’s laugh emitted from its throat. He tried to stop Gwen when she walked up to it excitedly, and when he didn’t grab a hold of her in time, he prepared for the nightmare to commence watching the beast back up in hesitation. However, to his surprise, its ears turned to face her before it sniffed at her. She giggled as she hugged the beast’s neck, receiving a sloppy kiss from its forked tongue.

It was a strange creature indeed. It possessed the body and head of a hyena, but its feet were that of a reptilian persuasion as was its tail. Gwen scratched through its fur, pulling a contented growl from the beast. It snapped at Vlad when he got too close before returning its attention happily to Gwen. Its burgundy mane was relaxed every time Gwen gave it attention, but it would stand on end when it snapped at him. He glared at its pinkish, spotted fur and growled right back at it the third time it dared to growl at him.

“Don’t be mean to him,” Gwen giggled to the beast, “he’s a nice vampire.”

 _Yes,_ he thought with a dry smirk _, a ‘nice vampire’ indeed. If only she knew…_

His eyes went wide the moment the beast grabbed Gwen’s clothes and lifted her up like a pup before prancing off with her whining to be put down. He stood there, stunned to see how strong the beast’s jaws were to say the least. He growled to himself and chased after it, roaring at it to put the girl down. He paused when Gwen screamed before he saw her riding the beast as it ran wildly back toward him.

He looked off in the direction they ran from to see a massive beast of a wolf chasing after them. He stiffened at the sheer size of the canine. It was almost too big to even fit within the confines of the mall. If he didn’t know any better than he would have guessed that the beast was the legendary Fenris-wolf destined to destroy Odin. He ran after Gwen in hopes of catching her before the beast did for he had a good feeling that it would not end well for the girl.

“Why are these creatures in a mall?” he groaned out loud.

He turned when he noticed that the wolf had slid to a stop as its ear perked up. Listening, he could hear the mumbling of a man’s voice while the wolf faded from view with a mighty yawn. He sighed, knowing that Gwen would be all right before finding it peculiar that the two of them were not only sharing a dream with each other, but the wolf as well. He turned to the strange hybrid that was still carrying Gwen and wondered if the hybrid was dreaming as well.

“He was a cranky wolf,” Gwen muttered.

“Indeed he was,” he replied, putting his hands on his hips when he turned to give her a light scolding, “and does she mind carrying you, Hannah?”

Gwen looked up at him and answered, “I just grabbed her when we saw him. Plus, she hasn’t tried to bounce me off.”

He tried to hide his smirk as she smiled up at him shamelessly. The beast just stood there unamused by all of this. Carefully, she laid herself down while making sure that Gwen didn’t fall from her back. Vlad then assumed that she was a mother with pups by watching that, especially by how she glared up at him when Gwen got off and hugged his leg. With a mocking smirk, he stroked back Gwen’s bangs while the creature glared at him with a sour look. When she yawned, he listened and heard a voice, a woman’s voice.

 _“Wake up Cleo,”_ she chortled in a Scottish brogue, _“quit chasing rabbits, you silly girl.”_

 _So, your name is Cleo_ , he thought as she faded from view.

Gwen gasped in awe as she watched. When Cleo was gone, he turned to her and hoisted her up to be eye level with him. She giggled and he smiled at her before she twisted in his arms to look behind her. This barren mall intrigued her on many levels, and he couldn’t blame her, it was different on some level. She nodded animatedly when he asked her if she would like to explore it while they were still there. He had always considered himself a curious man, for without curiosity how did one learn, but after becoming a vampire, that curiosity had grown to a whole new level. If he were to be honest, that curiosity probably got him in more trouble than the proverbial cat.

However, their excitement might have proved to be a bit premature as the mall was proving to be nothing more than a hall. He then wondered if it wasn’t fully developed within the dream yet. Soon, they were back at the cascading waterfall and the bench. With a heavy sigh, he sat down on the bench and watched her as she ran the length of the wall. She had so much energy that he hoped she would keep it as she grew older. He imagined the woman she would grow into, and it wetted his appetite greatly. Vlad bit his bottom lip not long before she walked up to him and sat beside him. He smiled at her when she reclined against him.

“I think this place isn’t done being made,” she said.

“I was thinking the same thing,” he confessed.

“I hope to see it when it is finished,” she commented.

“I think that I would like that as well,” he replied.

“Do you know what kind of dog she was?” Gwen asked.

“That was a dog?” he muttered, thinking back to Cleo, “Never seen a dog like that before.”

“Do you think we’ll see her again?” She looked up to him.

He gently pulled her onto his lap. “I cannot say; the Realm of Dreams is a very tricky place. It is possible that we might, though.”

He sat there with his arm wrapped around her waist. She hugged his arm as best as she could without getting caught on the spikes of his gauntlet. She looked up at him as she asked if she would see him again. He glanced down at her and promised her that she would. They soon faded into the waking world together, leaving the mall barren in the land of dreams.


	3. "I'm Becoming a Big Girl, Now"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad finds out a little bit about Gwen's history.

Gwen sat at the edge of a bridge as she teased the gators beneath her. She giggled, twirling a Japanese parasol in her hand, knowing that she’d never be able to do this in real life. She’d tickle their noses with her bare toes when they jumped out of the water at her. They never snapped at her feet, they just bumped their noses against them. They had been playing their little game for a while it seemed as she waited. She didn’t know this place from experience, only from what she had seen in schoolbooks, but this place had too much detail to just be an image pulled from the recesses of her subconscious.

“Hannah?” Vlad called behind her as she turned and smiled at him. “What are you doing?”

“You, sir, are late,” she teased, pulling a grin from him. “It’s been almost three years now.”

“My apologies,” he replied with a peculiar look, pulling her to her feet and passing an amused grin at the alligators beneath the bridge. “How is life in the land of the living?”

“I’d rather not talk about it,” she mumbled with a sour face.

“Your benefactor decided to quit you?” he teased in return.

“No, more like I wish my foster family would,” she groaned. “They won’t even let me talk to him. They say that the spawn of Satan doesn’t deserve such charity, ‘especially from such a nice man.’ Every time I manage to get a hold of him, Mrs. McClaine cuts it off one way or another. She’s a mean little hobbit, that one. She keeps telling me that my soul will thank her come Judgement Day.”

He winced at “spawn of Satan,” it was enough to sour any amusement he might have felt over the hobbit comment as he implored, “Surely you exaggerate?”

“I wish,” she sighed. “Honestly, from what Miss Kari has said about my previous family, this one seems worse. I’m waiting for her to leave me in the backyard where crooks can to get me easily. If I were being honest, it’d be more preferable to the idea of being locked up in their basement.”

“You’re joking,” he exclaimed.

“No, Miss Kari and Miss Leena both said that I have never had much luck with foster families,” she admitted.

He guided her to a gazebo that he remembered was nearby as this dreamscape belonged to him coming from a memory of his. He had her sit as he willed a bottle of wine and two glasses for them to appear on the table. He poured her a glass as he asked, “Would you mind elaborating for me?”

She smirked at him as the glass he handed her turned into a teacup and saucer. “This might be a dream, but I’m still a minor.” He chuckled, letting it go when she thanked him regardless. “Since my mother gave me up when I was a babe, I suppose I should start with my first foster family, the Nixons, and no, they aren’t related to the president… I asked. Miss Leena said that they were a loving couple, but that they gave me back when they had found out that they were pregnant.” He growled at that, finding it unfair. “My second family was a very loving family also, but she said that one day the police just showed up with me at the orphanage with no explanation except that they were arrested.” He looked at her curiously upon hearing that. “The Adairs, my third family, were horrid. I only remember bits and pieces of them, and have mostly bad memories of Mrs. Adair, if any at all. Mr. G says that I blocked out that night and that he is grateful for it.”

“What happened?” he implored.

“I apparently had done something to upset her,” Gwen stated. “So as a punishment, she told me to stand outside. Miss Leena said that this is what I had told her when I got back to the orphanage. ‘She had made a wish about goblins and taking me away. I turn around and there’s a scary man walking up to me. Then a green lady the same size as me saved me, and walked me back home.’”

He nodded as he sipped a little more from his glass. “So, this family right now would be…?”

“My fourth,” she answered, “Miss Leena was so appalled by what had happened and by the fact that the Adairs had waited as long as they did to even file a missing person’s that she refused to let any other foster family have me until now. Mr. G wasn’t happy either, and he has been having the hardest time getting back in touch with me. He can’t stand that McClaine woman. He says that he has no need for self-righteous, religious fanatics and that I had no need for them either.”

“The world seems to be full of them now. Hannah, how old would you happen to be?”

“I just recently turned 10.”

“And yet, you speak almost like an adult.”

She blushed and countered, “What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s usually a sign of a girl, who doesn’t have many friends her own age.”

“I don’t; not really, Adonis is really the only friend I have that is my age. He gets confused by some of the words that I use, but he likes me for me. Most of the friends that I do have are older than I am, like my big brother, DJ. He’s the McClaines’ actual son, but I’m the one that knows that he’s gay because they’d disown him. Sure, we’re not blood, but he’s the closest thing to true family that I have had in a long time.”

 _That answers that question at least_ , he thought.

“Plus, I’m becoming a big girl, now. So, I might as well act like one. It keeps me out of trouble at least.”

“It’s not much fun growing up before you ought, though.”

“No,” she agreed before she sighed dreamily, “but that is what dancing is for.”

“You’re still dancing, but what about the whole charity…”

“Mr. G insisted that I still keep taking my classes. So, I have been sneaking out. It’s rather easy since I think that Mr. McClaine turns a blind eye because I always am back before midnight.”

“Such a naughty, little girl,” he teased.

“Ah, she brought upon herself, like we all do,” she retorted with a casual wave. “I’m not going to stop doing what I love just because she has a broom stuck up her rear.”

“Sure that it isn’t a rosary?” he joked.

“And you call me naughty,” she chortled.

They shared a good laugh before they simply sat in silence. It was rather nice. Not many people could sit comfortably in silence, especially two people as different as they were. They watched the fireflies that started to dance around them. He was wondering where they had been as even in his dreams, he dwelled in darkness. He turned to her when she giggled to see the fireflies flying around her and tickling her face. Their glow against her pale hair gave her an angelic look, contrasting completely with the reputation this current family was trying to give her. _An angel and a demon having a pleasant conversation over tea and wine_ , he thought with a smile.

“Where are we, by the way?” she asked, “I’ve never been to a place quite like this.”

“We’re in Louisiana,” he replied. “I had been here once during the Civil War.”

“How old are you?” she then inquired.

“Now, that would be telling,” he countered.

“Aw, you’re such a tease,” she chuckled. “Was there a woman that you remember from then?”

“There was,” he admitted, “I enjoyed our time together.”

“What happened to her?”

“She died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I never was able to hold onto women who were pure for too long, and she had proven to be an honorable woman, holding her father to his word when he made a deal with me.”

“I suppose that’s one of the drawbacks of being a vampire, huh?”

“I suppose it is. What kind of dance do you study?”

“I told my teacher that I want to learn it all, as much as I can.”

“Really?”

“Yes, when I dance, I feel free.”

“Have you learned ballroom dancing, yet?” he inquired.

“No,” she sighed, “I’d love to, but my instructor said that she doesn’t know how to ballroom dance. Plus, I have no one to learn with.”

He stood up as he held out his hand for her. “I shall teach you then. You’ll not find a better teacher than me.”

She took his hand nervously and he could feel her pulse flutter through her fingertips. He escorted her to the grass before taking her hand and placing his other on her waist. In a hushed tone, he informed her about proper form and what each partner was to do. He could tell that she was soaking up every bit of it up like a sponge, and he reveled in it, not even his own servants listened to him so intently anymore. He started her out slow. She was still young, and didn’t need to be rushed. Plus, he had all the time in the world. It was while they danced that he noticed how short she was, and it amused him a bit. He couldn’t really call her tiny, but that was because she was already developing the hips of a woman.

“What is so funny?” she asked.

“Well, if I were to be honest,” he chuckled, “you are.”

“Why? Am I doing it wrong?” she implored. She glanced down at her feet as she tried to find what part of her was failing.

“No, you’re doing quite well, in fact,” he replied, “It just took me till now to realize how short you are, but I can’t call you tiny.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbled, “my big butt prevents that. DJ says the same thing whenever he and his boyfriend are teasing me. Even my dance instructor comments on it. If I hadn’t of met her boyfriend, I’d swear she was a lesbian.”

He laughed at her response while she glared at him with that adorable pout of hers. He wanted to feel bad that she was being teased, really he did, but the irony that everyone was noticing it made it a little amusing. Admittedly, she was being a rather good sport about it. He was reluctant to let her go when she started to fade from view. When she was completely out of sight, he sighed and turned to roam what had once been one of his old, stomping grounds.

He hoped that she wasn’t getting in any trouble because he knew that it would be his fault. Any other time he wouldn’t care, but he knew what it was like to be persecuted by religious fanatics. He sat down as he thought about all the horrible things that could happen to her and it infuriated him that he wasn’t there to deal with them personally. It confused him almost as he thought about it. He couldn’t call it love, he doubted that he had ever felt that in a long time, but he could dare to call it fondness. How could he have become fond of the girl within three visits? He snorted in amusement while he faded from the Realm of Dreams himself.

“The Lord Dracula fond over a little orphan girl,” he chuckled, “What will Fate think of next?”


	4. To Enjoy Each Other's Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwen finds out a bit about Vlad and they find that they're comfortable amongst each other.

Vlad looked around as he tried to find Gwen. He didn’t quite recognize the exact location, but he knew the country that he was in at least. So, he assumed that this had to be a dreamscape of hers. All he could see were gravestones, some of which he would recoil from for the crosses that they bared until he found her. She was staring up at a peculiar statue as he came up at a careful pace behind her in hopes to avoid shocking her. He looked up, wondering why the statue of a näcken was in a cemetery and why it looked so familiar.

“I suppose her family didn’t want her to be lonely,” she muttered.

“What?” he questioned, glancing down at her.

“All of her family is paired off,” she pointed out, “but she isn’t.”

He looked around to see that she was right, and then looked at the script on the headstone itself.

“‘Demeter Evegene McNair, born May 13, 1725 and died December 30, 1788. A rebel until the very day she died.’ Hmm, it’s a shame that I never got to meet her. She sounds like my kind of woman.”

“Vlad,” Gwen scolded.

“What?” he chuckled before pausing, “I had heard of a pirate by the name of McNair… Wonder if she has any relation to him.”

“Who knows,” Gwen responded. “Where is this cemetery?”

“Scotland,” he answered. Upon gazing at the statue, he smirked as he playfully shoved Gwen. “You have his eyes.”

“What?” she asked before looking up at the statue, “No, I don’t.”

He laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and guiding her away from the grave with her smirking up at him before casting a glance over her shoulder at the grave. “How have you been since I last saw you?”

“They sent me back to the orphanage that morning,” she replied, causing him to wince. “I want to say thank you if you were the last nail in the coffin. So, thank you. I’d rather be a lost cause back at the orphanage than their little pet project to get into heaven.”

“You’re welcome,” he mumbled in confusion.

“Other than that, it’s been rather uneventful,” she commented, “How about you?”

“Trying not to get slain lately,” he answered as they sat on a bench and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“How often do they try?” she asked.

“I’ve been slain more times than I can count,” he muttered before smirking, “their problem is that I keep coming back.”

“You must be a very powerful vampire if that is the case,” she mentioned in a moment of awe.

“I am,” he replied in a prideful tone.

“That must be exhausting from time to time.”

“It is. That is why I tend to travel after a while. It breaks the monotony.”

“I’d like to travel. It would be nice to get away from everything for a bit.”

“It gets lonely, though.”

“Is it more lonely than being surrounded by people and feeling like you’re not even there?”

Vlad thought about it before he sighed, “No, it’s not.”

They sat there in silence for a while, just thinking. Vlad turned when Gwen intertwined her fingers into his over her shoulder. He smiled softly before looking out over the graveyard, watching the mists come in. He didn’t think anything of it when she leaned against him. They simply enjoyed the quiet as well as the scenery, but mostly they were enjoying the company. Vlad was enjoying not having to worry about keeping appearances or show that he was still Lord of the Vampires. Gwen was enjoying not having someone judge her as they were few and far in between.

He didn’t know how long they sat there like that before he remembered that he was supposed to be teaching her how to dance. She looked up at him in confusion when he stood until he offered her his hand, which she took. As he twirled her around, the scenery changed to a massive ballroom full of his many servants. He had her in an ornate, red ball gown as he wore more formal attire as well. She looked around at their surroundings before looking up to him in uncertainty.

“But I’ve only had one lesson,” she objected.

“You’ll be fine,” he countered, “Just trust me.”

He made sure to start off slow for her sake as she followed his lead perfectly. He could tell that she was having some difficulties, especially with the dress, but he paid them no mind. His servants thought nothing of it, except for maybe her young age. However, they had enough intellect to know better than to comment to him about it. She was catching on quick and he decided to up the ante and challenge her with something more complicated. At first, it threw her off, but eventually she caught on and started keeping pace. He was very impressed that she was doing so well.

“I can’t believe it,” she stated, “I never catch on this quick.”

“Is that so?” he inquired.

“Yeah, I always have to keep on trying and practicing until I finally master a move,” she answered. “I love dancing, but I’m just not very good at it.”

“What makes a dancer good is their passion,” he stated, “not their talent.”

She blushed with a smile and lowered her head. He twirled her around with a grin on his face and pulled her in closer. He told her that as she got older he would teach her more complicated dances. She smiled in excitement at the thought beaming up at him. They continued to waltz amongst his servants as they turned to watch him and her. Slowly, his servants had begun to fade all around them whilst they continued on dancing.

Vlad turned to look around them when it was only the two of them left as he finally stopped. With a turn, they were back in the cemetery again at the bench they were previously at. He wrapped an arm around her again letting her snuggle into him. Looking back at the statue, he sneered as he realized why the näcken looked so familiar.

“Vlad?” she questioned.

“I just realized why that statue looked so familiar to me,” he growled.

“Oh?”

“He is a ruler of the faeries, the Erlkönig. I had faced him and his brother once before when I resided in my original form.”

“Your original form?”

“Yes, quite a few things factored into the change between my former image and the image that you see before you. I’d be more than happy to tell you the details on another night.” He grinned evilly as he prodded her, “Do you want to know the funny thing, though?”

“What?” she asked.

“I look like I could almost pass as his brother’s twin now,” he chuckled. “It has been a thorn in their sides ever since they found out. It’s the one thing that makes looking like him bearable.”

“You are positively prime evil,” she stated.

“I certainly hope that that was two words,” he warned, but there was a hint of teasing.

“But of course,” she countered, pulling another chuckle from him.

He paused when she stood and then crawled into his lap as she snuggled against him again. He hugged her tight leaning back. She was still too small for him to recline his head against hers, but he had a feeling that she would reach her growth spurt soon enough. He breathed in her scent nonetheless as she relaxed. He knew he was getting ready to lose her as she snuggled some more against him. For as long as he could, he held onto her whilst she faded in his arms.

Gwen opened her eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them as she sat up. The children around her were in various stages of waking up. She looked up to see her caseworker, Miss Kari, walking up to her. She sat there waiting, knowing that she was going to call her, “Lazy Critter,” her favorite nickname for her, and then proceed to tell her to hurry, her accent coming through in that silky way that Gwen loved. As she suspected, everything played out to a “T” as she walked to the phone to talk with Mr. G. She was rubbing her eyes as she put the receiver to her ear.

“Being lazy again today, are we Gwennie?” Mr. G teased.

“I like sleeping in, I hope you know, Mr. Early Bird,” she replied, sticking out her tongue.

He chuckled, “I know that very well, my little Night Owl.” She beamed at that. “So, what have you been up to lately, besides being lazy?”

“I’m starting to learn tap dancing. It’s actually a lot more fun than they let on in those Riverdance movies. Surprisingly, I’m actually very good at it,” she stated.

“Is that so?” he responded.

“Uh huh, and Mr. Renaldo has me practicing opera lately,” she answered, “He says that one cannot take voice lessons without practicing opera at least once in your lifetime.” She said that last part in her best attempt at a Hispanic accent, trying to embody Mr. Renaldo’s passion.

“I suppose that that is one way to look at it,” he commented. “It definitely would attribute to his passion for his job.”

“It certainly does,” Gwen giggled, “DJ and Terry came over and took me out to lunch yesterday.”

“David took you out for tacos again,” he implored, “didn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Gwen commented.

“With his love for tacos, it’s a wonder his other choices,” he stated.

“That is surprisingly dirty for you, Mr. G,” she muttered.

“I’ve had a bunch of the youth hanging around here,” he sighed in a way that Gwen could almost see him pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

“Was Red with them?” Gwen asked anxiously.

“Now, you know that she doesn’t like me Gwennie,” he remarked.

“Yeah, I forgot, sorry” she pouted.

“Ever the forgetful one, aren’t you dear Gwennie?” he teased.

“It certainly looks like,” she admitted before she thought about something, “Mr. G? Could you tell me about the Earl-co-nish, please?”

“Did your dreamscape friend tell you about him?” He implored with a chuckle.


	5. The Level of Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad might have to come to terms with Gwen's mortality.

Vlad looked around, surprised to see that the mall seemed to be mostly a blur. It grew more solid as he walked through it searching for Gwen with a bit more detail showing up here and there. The amount of detail that was showing up was nothing to write home about though in his eyes. It was merely just the detail of the size of tiles as well as the material that they were made of. The one change that he noticed was how muggy the mall seemed, like the furnace was turned on at its highest setting. He soon heard the water of the cascading waterfalls and paused when he saw Gwen standing there.

She was gazing at the wall as if in a trance, and he knew something was wrong the closer that he got to her. She didn’t even turn to acknowledge him when he was standing beside her as she swayed almost like a drunkard. It was almost like she wasn’t even aware of her surroundings. Upon seeing the flush across her cheeks, he pulled off one of his gauntlets and placed his palm against her forehead before placing the back of his hand against her cheek. Her skin burned like a roaring fire against his skin while she leaned further into his touch.

“So cool,” she mumbled, swaying more violently this time.

Vlad acted on instinct catching her and carrying her over to the bench nearby. He set her on his lap and held her tightly, cursing her for being such a foolish girl. She muttered something about falling into the harbor and a young man pulling her out. She shuddered against him before settling into a slight constant shiver.

He worried about her wheezing since he had never dealt with a person who was sick in their dreams as well as the waking world. Normally, their dreams would just be a frenzy and unfocused from the fever, if they even dreamed at all. It only served to inform him of how powerful this fever held her as he tried to steal the warmth from it. He squeezed her against his body to pull the heat into his body while she didn’t even put up a fuss. He did loosen his grip, however, when she choked slightly from the force he was using.

“You could have just slept, Hannah,” he stated, “It wouldn’t have hurt my feelings. I wouldn’t have held it against you.”

“I wanted to see you,” she protested weakly.

“You silly girl,” he muttered.

“Mr. G says the same thing,” she said with a light chuckle before breaking into a fit of coughs. “He said… he used to say the… the same thing to my mother.”

“Did he now?” he commented, “Don’t laugh; you can barely breathe as it is.”

“He told me one time that he was actually surprised by who my father was,” she continued, causing him to panic slightly.

“Did he know your father?” he asked after a bit of hesitation.

“No, she told him that he was just some guy… from a good family… that she met…” she wheezed, “in the rain. They had both expected my father to be another… friend of hers. My blonde hair made it obvious… who I belonged to, though.”

He remembered that people started reminiscing when they were getting ready to give up the ghost, and that thought haunted him when he asked, “Is that why she gave you away? Was it due to the fact that you were born out of wedlock, or was it that your father has a reputation to uphold?”

“Mr. G said that she did it to…” she hummed, “to protect me. So, maybe… he did have a reputation. Vlad?”

“Hmm?” he grunted, dreading what might come next. He had never been good with letting go.

“Do you think I’ll ever find a family that will love me?” she asked.

It wasn’t what he expected, but it hurt just the same astonishingly. He was quite unused to such sentimental conversations, but as he thought about it, he told her what he felt to be true. “You will Hannah; they may not be what you expect them to be. They might just be the biggest mess of misfits that there is, but you will find your family that loves and accepts you. You just need to remember that family isn’t always blood.”

“That is surprisingly nostalgic for a vampire like you,” she teased before going into another coughing fit.

He bit back the smile holding her close to steady her. “I suppose it is.”

“I’m not going to die, you silly man,” she scolded in a playful manner. “No matter how bad this cold is, I’m not going to be taken down so easily. I’ve had colds before… None were ever this bad, but Miss Leena will fix me right up. If it is bad… Miss Kari has some ‘home remedies’ that she’s threatened to scar me straight through to adulthood with.”

He looked at her as she smiled up at him while stroking his cheek with her thumb as she cupped his face. He smiled bitterly, wanting to believe her. “How am I to believe that? You can’t be sure that this won’t kill you. You silly humans make light of things only to end up getting hurt or worse.”

“You’re going to have to trust me, Mr. Boogeyman,” she stated sleepily, “like I trust you.”

“You shouldn’t trust a creature like me, Hannah,” he admitted, “I am selfish; I always have been, and I always will be. A monster such as I could never put your needs and wants before my own. It is simply against my nature.”

“And yet, here you are, holding me close instead of devouring me like any other monster would have,” she whispered. “I am willing to accept the consequences that come with trusting you.”

He didn’t know how to respond to that and opted for holding her tight. He leaned into her hand trying to keep himself composed. She snuggled against him as she tried to breathe evenly. They didn’t move or talk for the rest of the dream. He held her close to his unbeating heart letting her hand gripped the edge of his armor when she couldn’t hold it up any longer. He didn’t know what to do when she began to fade within his grasp. When she was gone, he sat there coming to grasp with the fact that he might never see her again. However, after shaking the thought viciously from his head, he decided that he would trust her and hoped that she wouldn’t break that trust like so many others before her.


	6. Ebb and Flow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad learns to cut loose.

Vlad looked out over the sea while sitting in the sand with a dejected look on his face. It was an uncommon image for the Vampire King to look so normal, or at least human, if his pose was anything to go by. He had been worrying about Gwen for a month now. If he could have hunted her down, he would have turned her to appease his selfish need to keep her, but then he wouldn’t have shown that he trusted her. Plus, there was the added fact that he just didn’t know where to start looking. He figured by her accent that America might have been a safe bet, but there were so many orphanages in America to choose from.

There was a full moon out, but he truly would have enjoyed at least seeing a sunset. How could he though when all he ever knew now was the night? He sighed as he thought glumly about how nothing ever goes his way. He readjusted his arms on his knees at the bitter thought.

His eyes shifted when he saw someone surfing the wave rising before him, but went back to staring at the sand before him when he saw a second, larger person. _It’s not her_ , he thought sourly, _so much for trust_. He was pulled from his depressing thought when he saw two feet before him. He looked up in surprise to see Gwen and was even more surprised to see a massive form of her Zen bear walk up behind her.

“What’s with the face, Mr. Boogeyman?” she asked.

“You’re all right,” he said, more so to himself than anyone else.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she returned.

He paused, surprised that she was confused by his response and wondered if she even remembered the dream. With a small smile, he shook his head and said it was nothing before looking back at Zen bear, who saluted him. He cocked an eyebrow when he looked back at her. She just smiled shamelessly bumping fists with the bear before he turned and headed back to the sea. With a soft sigh, she sat next to him and watched the waves. He looked at her the moment she elbowed him gently.

“Want to go surfing?” she asked.

“I can’t,” he answered.

“Why not?” She pouted up at him.

“Because even in my dreams, I am plagued by the same weaknesses that plague my every waking moment. Why do you think it is always night in my dreams?”

“Because that is all you know.”

“Do you wish to drown me? You’d probably be the first to succeed in permanently destroying me if that is the case?”

She kissed his cheek, surprising him as she retorted, “I promise that if you sink, I’ll drag you back to shore.”

He couldn’t stop the smirk that reached his face before he sighed with resignation and stood. She squealed in delight grabbing her board and ran toward the waves. He knew that there was a pout on his face when a board appeared in his hand and he trudged toward the waves. He stopped at the water’s edge as he looked down where it reached his toes and debated on going through with this. _No woman is worth pain staking agony_ , he thought, preparing to back up. He roared in rage when he was lifted up and carried into the waves. He hissed while his board was placed on the water before he was placed on it. He glared up to see Zen bear looking down on him and then the bear pointed to his head then to his heart.

Gwen chortled, wading up next to him, “He’s saying that you’re in your head too much. Fears don’t exist in the heart.”

“This heart doesn’t beat,” he argued, “All I have is my head. So, forgive me if I prefer to linger there more than in my heart.”

“And yet, you are on the water,” she countered.

He paused and he noticed that he wasn’t in any kind of pain. The water prickled a little, but it wasn’t even a mere annoyance. He refused to look at her as she smirked at him. _Nothing changes_ , he thought, _women always think they’re right._ She gave him point by point instructions on what to do since she knew that vampires tended to be fast learners. He smirked at her when she said that before she got on her board.

“I have a question,” he stated. “Why the trunks?”

“Why not?” she countered. “What if I don’t want any naughty boys eyeing my bootilicious rump?”

He laughed while she smiled coyly at him leaning back on her board. He looked over his shoulder when she did to see a wave coming up. He followed her lead as she paddled toward it before she turned herself around. Vlad looked back at the wave in slight trepidation and did everything she told him to and was keen to remember that she said that balance was everything. He was doing so good until he realized a little too late that he should have traveled along the wave instead with it as it crashed, taking him under. When he settled at the bottom, he glared at the surface as he could hear Gwen calling out his name though it was muffled a bit. He forced himself to stand and started walking back to the shore pausing when he felt two hands on his shoulder and turned to see Gwen smiling at him while holding her breath. It did make him feel better to know that she came for him. He wasn’t that far off shore when his head breached the water.

It wasn’t long before he had gotten the hang of it, and he was surfing alongside her and Zen bear. He would coast alongside the wave and follow Gwen back out when they saw another wave coming. Zen bear had taken a nosedive or two, sometimes on purpose. Vlad laughed out loud when the bear’s head breached the surface with a sea cucumber in his mouth before spitting out when the taste did not agree with him. He had to admit, out of all the dreams he had had, this one was probably the most fun.

He groaned happily as he sat back down on the sands and chuckled when Gwen sat in between his legs as a bonfire appeared in front of them. He looked at Zen bear peculiarly as he walked up with an octopus on his head like a hat, Gwen laughed when he greeted them by talking it off and putting it back on. He shook his head while a grin stayed on his face. _The personality she gave that bear is certainly something_ , he thought.

“So,” he implored, “do you surf wherever you’re at?”

“Only whenever DJ and Terry come get me,” she admitted. “It’s not easy finding a place where we can sometimes, but they’re the reason that I’m as good a swimmer as I am. They felt it… um, in-per-tenant, that I learn after the incident at the dock.”

Vlad chuckled, “‘Impertinent,’ and I believe that you either meant ‘pertinent’ or ‘prudent.’”

“Oops.” She glanced up at him with wide eyes.

“That’s all right,” he commented, “It’s an impressive word for a young girl such as yourself.”

She gazed up at him as he pulled her bangs out of her face to see her pretty blue eyes. She smiled back when he smiled down at her. They both returned their attention to the glowing moon beyond the bonfire before them.

They sat like that for the rest of the dream, not even talking. He found himself surprisingly content when she and Zen bear faded away, knowing that he’d see her again.

                                                      


	7. A Walk in Cascading Gardens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some punks harass Gwen and Vlad finds the Dream Realm is quite confusing.

Vlad walked through the mall, impressed by the growth since he had last been there. He looked up at one of the upper levels of a cascading garden within the center of the mall to see Gwen waving down at him. When he looked past her, he grew confused as to why he wasn’t bursting into flames at the sun coming through the frosted windows. She tilted her head in confusion, peering behind her before looking back at him with a carefree smile as she shrugged. He shrugged as well before flying up to her level. She gave him room to land and asked how he had been.

He smiled answering her with a tight hug before returning the question right back to her. She smiled as she told him about her lessons and what she was learning in school. He freely corrected her on some of the historical facts that she was being told. He didn’t hold it against her; he knew that as time progressed the truth became more diluted. He was still surprised at how strong that evolution fad was still going.

They paused when they heard murmuring and looked over the edge to see blurred shapes rushing this way and that. Some of them would pause long enough for a person to be visible before they became a blur again. It was then that the murmurs they heard the first time made sense to him.

“This is a high traffic area for dreamers it seems, fascinating,” he commented.

“Do you think they know that they are dreaming of the same place other people are dreaming about?” Gwen asked.

Vlad shook his head, “No, people like believe that their dreams are all unique to them like their fingerprints. I, myself, was one of those fools at one point in time.”

“Was that depressing when you found out?” she implored.

“A little at first,” he confessed with a shrug, “but then I found it to be a little fun. You never know whose dreams you’ll walk into. I once walked in on a party with Elizabeth Taylor. Now, that was a good night.” She gave him a look before she climbed up the edge of the balcony. “What are you doing?”

“It’ll take too long to find the stairs,” she replied, leaping off.

He leapt over to try and catch her, but paused as he watched her float down safely. Breathing a sigh of relief, he thought, _Thank goodness she is one of those dreamers._ He landed behind her and watched her go to a shop that was built into the corner itself. He shook his head with a chuckle. They both blanched at the sight of some of the dresses in it before moving on to look at others.

“Might I ask why we are looking at dresses,” he implored, gawking at a hideous pink cupcake of a dress.

“Curious,” she replied, “I like looking at dresses, but I don’t care to wear them too much anymore.”

“‘Anymore’?” He teased.

“Yeah, after Lorelei made a comment about seeing my panties…” She blushed furiously.

“Oh well, that will do it all right, gym class?” he chuckled, more to himself than to her save for the question of location. He noticed Gwen had gotten a little tense as he looked at her. “Hannah?”

Vlad looked over to Gwen and noticed that she was looking outside the shop reeking of trepidation. He glanced over his shoulder to see a small mob of punk vampires eyeing her. He glared at them as he moved further in between them and her, stating his claim. They snarled and hissed at him, especially after he closed the gate to prove his point. He turned and walked over to where she was, now hovering over her as they plastered themselves to the gates, trying to break through. He eyed each and every one of them snarling and snapping at him as he made note of their features, planning on punishing them later for challenging him.

“Come here pretty baby,” one cooed.

“Yeah, we only want to give you kisses,” another chuckled, his tongue hanging out.

“Wouldn’t you rather hang with us instead of that old bag of bones?” a third asked, gaining a glare from Vlad. This one had managed to get his hand through the gate and was holding it out for her.

“Bunch of big bullies,” she grumbled, pulling an amused look to his face.

 _Yes_ , he thought lightheartedly, _we could be, couldn’t we?_

He didn’t allow much space to get between her and himself while he kept eyeing the punks outside. He looked at her curiously as she sighed. It was a surprise when she said that all of these dresses were too “prom dressy.” When he suggested that she imagine a dress herself, she responded that it was too hard, as she couldn’t settle on an idea. He grinned at her and thought, _I know how that is_. She looked at the door before looking back at him moving closer to him. Lifting her off the ground, he smirked at the mongrels as he gently, but possessively pressed his face to her belly. They snarled in rage as she glared at them with one hand on his shoulder and the other combing through his hair.

“She prefers class over crass, boys,” Vlad commented, earning a unified hiss from the punks.

With a turn, Vlad and Gwen were now in another ballroom full of dancers. She looked down at him incredulously as he stated that everything was fine. He had her in burgundy while he wore black when he set her on her feet. He guided her to center of the dance floor before leading her in a slower waltz. He treated this as more of review as she still wasn’t ready for the more complicated lessons. She was still doing rather well, which caused him to ask her if she had been practicing. She nodded with pride stating that she had been practicing every day. It brought a smile to his face to know that he had left such an impression on her.

They didn’t stay long as they returned to the hanging gardens in the mall shortly afterward. Vlad looked around and was glad to see that they had the mall to themselves and followed her. Observing the gardens, they reminded him of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Granted, he had never actually seen the Gardens themselves, but he had read about them. All he had ever found when he went to their location was ruins weathered down by time itself. He wondered if they were the inspiration behind these gardens. It wouldn’t have surprised him.

Before he realized it, they had reached the top moving to a little sitting area. Gwen gazed out the frosted windows at the shapes of green from the leaves outside. He looked on in amazement at the light that touched him wondering why he didn’t burn _. Maybe my weaknesses have no effect on me in the Realm of Dreams_ , he thought. He then glanced at her briefly and thought, _Maybe it has something to do with her_. Despite his long life, he still did not fully understand the Realm of Dreams and the rules that applied to them. He now knew that this place was part of her dreamscape since she lived in the light still, while he never could, not anymore. For the first time in a long while, he was at a loss of what to do with himself. His selfish wants were arguing with each other, contradicting each other in what they even wanted, and it only succeeded in forming a headache for him. Gwen turned to him as he began to fade away.

“Until next time, Hannah,” he murmured. “I fear that I’m starting to not feel well.”

“See you then,” she promised. “I hope that you get to feeling better.”

With a smile, he whispered, “Thank you, angel.”

He opened his eyes and groaned as his head ached with a pounding force that left him feeling nauseous. With a growl, he opened his coffin and thought of something that could nurse this headache. It was then that a devilish grin appeared upon his face when he thought of what would do the trick. He then set out to find the poor fools that had dared to cross him and try and take what belonged to him.

**Author's Note:**

> I only own Gwen a.k.a. Hannah, and her foster families and friends. Dessie belongs to a respected friend and fellow writer, LadyofSlytherin101. In case any of you are wondering, I actually claim no ownership to Mr. G as he is based off of a character owned by Disney, have fun finding out who ;). Please feel free to leave a kudos or review.


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